Charlie competes with his fellow shop assistant. He is fired by the pawnbroker and rehired. He nearly destroys everything in the shop and himself. He helps capture a burglar. He destroys a client's clock while examining it in detail.
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Title: The Pawnshop (1916)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Charles Chaplin | ... | Pawnbroker's Assistant | |
 |
Henry Bergman | ... | Pawnbroker |
| Edna Purviance | ... | Pawnbroker's Daughter | |
| John Rand | ... | Other Assistant | |
| Albert Austin | ... | Client with Clock | |
| Eric Campbell | ... | Crook | |
|
|
James T. Kelley | ... | Old Bum (as James T Kelley) |
| Frank J. Coleman | ... | Policeman | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Charlie, the not-so-punctual and dependable pawnbroker's assistant, starts his day with his usual duties at the pawnshop--a bit of dusting; some polishing up, and above all, a lot of quarrelling with his co-worker. Before long, a customer arrives--what a fabulous opportunity for Charlie to exhibit his subtle technical skills, and to give his critical scientific evaluation with the use of a rusty can-opener. Then, another client comes, eager to see the diamonds; however, could he be a wolf in sheep's clothing? Written by Nick Riganas
Plot Keywords:
kicked in the butt | slapstick comedy | shop assistant | hit in the face | hit in the head |Parents Guide:
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Trivia
During an early scene, attention is drawn to the calendar on the pawnshop wall, which displays a date of Thursday, March 16. March 16 fell on a Thursday in 1916--the year this movie was made--and it is entirely possible that the scene in question was filmed on the actual date. See more »Alternate Versions
Kino International distributes a set of videos containing all the 12 Mutual short films made by Chaplin in 1915 - 1917. They are presented by David Shepard, who copyrighted the versions in 1984, and has a music soundtrack composed and performed by Michael Mortilla who copyrighted his score in 1989. The running time of this film is 25 minutes. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
2 October 1916 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
At the Sign of the Dollar See more »Company Credits
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This is definitely one of Chaplin's top 5 or 6 shorts. The part with Albert Austin and the clock is just so hilarious, and I really like the end of that bit where the drunk gets pushed down, just because it makes no sense.
I think this is the exact point in Chaplin's oeuvre in which he matured to the point in which he could make masterpieces. Don't get me wrong I like many of his earlier shorts, but everything he did from this point on could be argued as a masterpiece of comic cinema.
It is true that there isn't a great amount of pathos in this one, but I like the fact that there a just so many ridiculous situations that come one after the other. A+ grade.